DHS: Gulf Shores High School immigration raid a warning to those who ‘exploit illegal labor for profit’
Federal officials provided additional information about a raid that led to the detainment of over 30 undocumented people Tuesday at a south Alabama high school construction site.
During a press conference Wednesday, officials with the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force, FBI, and the United States Marshal Service clarified the number of individuals arrested and the alleged criminal histories of several detainees.
The raid took place at the $131 million construction site for a Gulf Shores High School facility.
P.J. Lavoie, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge, said that 36 individuals were detained rather than the 37 initially reported.
Lavoie stated that of the 36 detained 20 had some form of criminal history whether violent or non-violent.
In a separate press release from the Department of Homeland Security, the agency said seven of the detainees allegedly had criminal records ranging from domestic violence, DUI and outstanding warrants.
Picture of P.J. Lavoie addressing media during a media update about an immigration raid on June 24, 2025.Patrick Darrington
One of the undocumented workers is also accused of assaulting a federal agent and will face federal charges in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.
“Violence against against law enforcement is not tolerated,” the statement read.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the raid was conducted after receiving tips from members of the community that undocumented people were working at the site.
Steven Shrank, HSI Special Agent in Charge in Alabama and Georgia, said that the “operation sends a strong message to those who exploit illegal labor for profit, displacing American workers.”
Lavoie also said several individuals at the work site fled during the raid and even drove through a fence to escape being apprehended.
AL.com left a message with Rabren General Contracting, the general contractor building site, following the update.
On Tuesday, the City of Gulf Shores and Gulf Shores City Schools released a joint statement saying the general contractor was responsible for the site and directed all inquiries there.
Reached for comment on Wednesday, school and city officials referred AL.com back to the earlier statement.
The raid comes just under a month after Stephen Miller and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called on immigration officials to increase the daily total of arrests.
President Donald Trump’s administration promised to target immigrants with violent criminal histories or “the worst of the worst.”
However, according to NBC News, ICE data shows that only 6 percent of known immigrants convicted of homicide and 11 percent convicted of sexual assault have been arrested during the administration’s immigration crackdown.
The data also showed that nearly half of detainees in ICE custody have not been convicted or charged with a crime. For those convicted the majority of crimes were for traffic and immigration offenses.
Baldwin County has continued to be a hotbed of ICE activity since Trump’s administration took over and Lavoie said this was likely due to the county’s growth and, “large amount of construction” taking place.